Feathers wrote:Another two lengths of the room (mostly to get some feeling back in my legs)

Hahaha good to know I'm not the only one who does that.

Good to see you're starting up a practice. Please let us all know how it's going.

Well it's . . . let's be honest, not really going :p It's been a horrible few weeks with deadline after deadline, but term is now over, so I am going to try and get started again. I have to admit, I have actually missed doing metta.

Feathers wrote:Well it's . . . let's be honest, not really going :p It's been a horrible few weeks with deadline after deadline, but term is now over, so I am going to try and get started again. I have to admit, I have actually missed doing metta.

The important thing is to not be too hard on yourself. Sometimes, the right conditions don't present themselves. The important thing is to keep on applying the effort. In time, greater opportunities will present themselves and take advantage of them when they occur.Wishing you all the best,

Ben

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.

He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' (Jhana Sutta - Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation)

He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' (Jhana Sutta - Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation)

Right here we go again. My exams are over, I've had a few days' sleep, and the world in general is looking a little better. So the plan is 15mins morning, 15mins evening of sitting - starting with present moment awareness and hopefully getting to focus on the breath. I'll also chuck some metta in at some point, but starting out with those two 15mins . . . I've just downloaded the Insight Timer app, if anyone uses it and wants to add me . . . well my name is Deborah. Not sure how you actually find people :p

Feathers wrote:Right here we go again. My exams are over, I've had a few days' sleep, and the world in general is looking a little better. So the plan is 15mins morning, 15mins evening of sitting - starting with present moment awareness and hopefully getting to focus on the breath. I'll also chuck some metta in at some point, but starting out with those two 15mins . . . I've just downloaded the Insight Timer app, if anyone uses it and wants to add me . . . well my name is Deborah. Not sure how you actually find people :p

Good job! I usually try to sit for 50 minute in the morning (between 4:30am and 5:30 am EST ) and around 35 minutes in the evening. I'll keep my eyes peeled and will make a group for the Dhamma Wheel Meditation challenge.

To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.-Dhp. 183

I downloaded that insight timer app, then searched for dhammawheel; KB has already made a group, so join up.

And I'm just putting this pledge out there: I'm going to renew my daily meditation practice in the simplest way possible, by meditating each day for no fewer than 10 minutes a day. Of course, I hope to grow that into something larger. As it is, though, I'll settle for this modest goal.

MichaelThe thoughts I've expressed in the above post are carefully considered and offered in good faith.

And friendliness towards the world is happiness for him who is forbearing with living beings. -- Ud. 2:1To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness. -- Dhp 72

Yes, Khalil Bodhi has done a fantastic job in setting up the Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge and the Uposotha Club groups. I think the app can be a very positive tool for people who are seeking additional motivation, structure and support for their meditation practice.kind regards,

Ben

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.

I just want to share an experience of mine that has given me the discipline I needed to have a daily practice. I'm a lazy person, so for me to have a daily practice was always a nightmare. But I discovered the trick. Instead of aiming at sitting for 20, 30 or 60 minutes doing meditation, I said to myself: "well, I'll try doing walking meditation instead". So the trick is to be mindful in the time periods you're doing routine tasks that you would otherwise be doing with some aversion. For example, to go to the university I walk a good distance and take the subway. So I use that period to do walking meditation and, when I'm still, in the subway, doing mindfulness of the breath.

Not only is this beneficial in itself, because I end up cultivating my mind, but it also has the wonderful side effect of me having the discipline to sit for 30 minutes doing samatha. It's a win-win situation: time is not wasted, I practice mindfulness and on top of that it's much more likely that I sit to do meditation.

Simple, huh? Try it!

He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' (Jhana Sutta - Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation)

I downloaded that insight timer app, then searched for dhammawheel; KB has already made a group, so join up.

And I'm just putting this pledge out there: I'm going to renew my daily meditation practice in the simplest way possible, by meditating each day for no fewer than 10 minutes a day. Of course, I hope to grow that into something larger. As it is, though, I'll settle for this modest goal.

Anumodana! I'm always so inspired by my brothers and sisters in the Dhamma! Good work!

To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.-Dhp. 183

If I may encourage early practitioners: do not fret quantity of time meditating, but rather QUALITY of time spent practicing. If you are worried about how long you are meditating, you are completely missing the point!

Now that my exams are over I want to get back into a steady meditation practice over the summer. I plan to sit for 2 hours a day, 1 hour in the morning and evening, consisting of both Metta and Anapanasati. I also want to keep the 5 precepts more strictly and move towards keeping the uposatha, at least partly - the food one may be an issue given that I live with my family and we eat together. I am not going to be hard on myself if I miss a day or don't quite reach my goal as it is a good chance to learn.

"If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of miserliness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared." Iti 26

Zenainder wrote:If I may encourage early practitioners: do not fret quantity of time meditating, but rather QUALITY of time spent practicing. If you are worried about how long you are meditating, you are completely missing the point!

I agree. Yet, this is the very part of the Dhammic Path to first "become a meditator" then to un-become by direct and actual realisation. Its a trap most (if not all) practitioners fall into at the start of their practice. Solidifying into a "meditator" will create suffering. Anicca teaches us that nothing is solid. If trying to solidify any phenomena Dukkha is born. Can't talk about Anatta because I have no direct insight about it. Was drowning in the Sea of Dukkha Nanas for a few years though, all because of "becoming" a meditator (feeling guilt when not sitting daily or feeling guilt if sitting short sessions, or feeling guilty if not being concentrated/blissful/didn't gain new insights, etc, etc, etc ...)

Practiced daily for 3 years. Stopped practicing for 2 years. Now feeling to get on with the practice again (but without becoming a meditator)

That said I will start using the Insight Timer App again from tonight and just keep rafting up the river ...